Taking advantage of the menu options can have you stuffing your face with delicious curry rice, for less.

As much as we love curry rice here at SoraNews24, even when it comes in health-destroying quantities, we always feel put upon to pay money for it. Money that could be spent on Cup Noodles, or treasure-hunting gadgetry. Until we figure out how to blag free curry though, we’ll have to make do with little life hacks, like this way to make the most of the myriad menu options at popular curry chain CoCo Ichibanya to get their delicious beef curry, usually a not-unreasonable 597 yen (US$5.29), cheaper, and get a drink too.

The trick is to start off with a half-size portion of the beef curry (ハーフビーフカレー), at 381 yen. Having only half the rice, and half the scrumptious curry roux, so far not much of a life hack and certainly insufficient to satisfy stomachs which are used to far bigger portions.

The next step is to add a side serving of rice, which is 150 grammes (5.29 ounces), taking the amount of rice up to the same as the full-size beef curry.

Finally, it’s possible at CoCo Ichibanya to get a refill of curry roux, once, for free. Ask very nicely and the kindly staff will pour another portion of the rich, velvety sauce on your curry, taking the rice and roux up to the same amount as the full-size beef curry but for 514 yen rather than 597 yen, saving yourself 83 yen.

But wait, there’s more! Unlike the full-size beef curry, those ordering the half-size portion also get a drink included in the price. With a choice of eight soft drinks (unfortunately if we want beer with our curry we’ll have to pay for it): orange juice, oolong tea, milk, iced coffee, iced café au lait, Coca-Cola, mango lassie and Kagome vegetable juice. We went with the mango lassie, which would usually set us back 206 yen on its own.

So for a mere 511 yen, we managed to snag ourselves a full-size beef curry and mango lassie, a choice that would set back saps who don’t know about the possible menu wizardry 803 yen. The difference, 289 yen, is almost enough to add delicious chicken or pork katsu (290 yen) to your curry. And here’s the receipt, to prove it!

If the sight of all this curry has made you peckish, and your nearest CoCo Ichibanya is a good few thousand miles away, you can also make curry yourself at home, with this recipe.